The Case of the Spring Fling's Missing Offspring

Witched and Hitched Mysteries #1

by Dakota Cassidy

It takes two to solve a murder right...

Stevie Cartwright-Winterbottom here! Witch and afterlife specialist, along with my reincarnated ghost-talking husband and ex-British spy, Crispin Alistair Winterbottom.

After solving one of our hardest cases yet (on our wedding day, no less), we're back from our gloriously perfect, ghost-free Italian honeymoon, rested and ready to begin our lives together!

There's just one problem... The long line of people outside our door (literally) who've come from parts near and far in Washington, hoping we'll help them solve all their mystery needs.

After we caught a serial killer, and the ensuing circus of news coverage, turns out, we're a little bit famous and everyone wants our help.

However, there's one person waiting in that line with a very personal request.

A gorgeous woman who wants us to help her find out what happened to her daughter.

A daughter she claims is Win's...

We're back and better than ever! Join Stevie, Win, and their trusted sidekicks, Belfry and Arkady for all new adventures where magic and murder collide!

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, Mystery, Magic, Fiction

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 2, 2024

About the author

Dakota Cassidy is a national bestselling author with over thirty books. She writes laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, grab-some-ice erotic romance, hot and sexy alpha males, paranormal shifters, contemporary kick-ass women, and more.

Invited by Bravo TV, Dakota was the Bravoholic for a week, wherein she snarked the hell out of all the Bravo shows. She received a starred review from Publisher Weekly for Talk Dirty to Me, won an RT Reviewers Choice Award for Kiss and Hell, along with many review site recommended reads and reviewer top pick awards.

Dakota lives in the gorgeous state of Oregon with her real life hero and her dogs, and she loves hearing from readers!

Connect with Dakota online: https://twitter.com/DakotaCassidy https://www.facebook.com/DakotaCassid...

Join Dakota Cassidy’s Newsletter The Tiara Diaries! Join here: http://mad.ly/signups/100255/join

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t like to start a series in the middle, preferring to work my way through it and follow the characters and their story arcs as they develop. While this is the first in the series, it is a continuation of another one and I felt like I was thrown into a series halfway through; there are very few explanations of who the secondary characters are that surround the main couple and I found this confusing. The mystery itself was OK but didn’t really hold my attention. Where this really lost me was the narration, which came off as overacted and cheesy. I will not be continuing with this series.

I received a copy from @NetGalley and #rbmedia for an honest review.

[Stacey (Bookalorian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so lost in this book, It's book one but felt like I was missing a ton of info, now while enjoyed the narration of the audiobook, I felt a little off kilter listening.

I don't think the writing style was me either, maybe thats why I felt like I was missing something.

Maybe its a spin off? I didn't read that it was but if it is, thats likely why

3 stars

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Witched and Hitched in Seattle: The Case of the Spring Fling's Missing Offspring" by Dakota Cassidy is a cozy mystery. It seemed very juvenile to me, especially with the high-pitched voice of the bat familiar. Hollie Jackson was the narrator of the audiobook. I didn't care for the voice of Win, the main male character. Ms Jackson would do well in voice acting for cartoons.

The main character, Stephania, aka Stevie, aka Dove, was reasonably likable, but the whole thing is odd. She's a witch. Her husband, Win, died but took over the body of his brother. They have a ghost who was a Russian spy. She can see ghosts, and her husband can talk to them.

Throughout the whole book, there are references to what happened before, but this is supposed to be book 1 of the Witched and Hitched in Seattle series. I was very lost and should not have been with book 1.

I didn't see anywhere that this was a series for children or teens, but maybe it is. It seemed more appropriate for a younger audience.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 2/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 2/5
Enjoyment - 2/5
Narration - 2/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 21/8 = 2 5/8 rounded up to 3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Tantor Audio, and Dakota Cassidy for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[Amber Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love witchy cozy mysteries. I enjoyed this one so much. It had all the things, witches ghosts and a mystery. I liked guessing the twists and mystery. I was surprised by the reveals. I just love Stevie and Win. Their arguing and banter is so funny. The side characters are also so fun. You could not have the story without Belfry and Arkady! I cannot wait to read the next book! Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Mary Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I could not put this book down. What a fabulous mystery in this book. I absolutely adore these characters and the way the author writes them. Coming home from their honeymoon there is a mystery waiting on their doorstep, literally.

[Julianne Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, I love reading books by Dakota Cassidy! Her books are good to read, standalone, or in a series, you can read this book and feel like you know exactly what’s going on even if you haven’t read the one before it. It’s always fun to get to know each character in her books. In this whirlwind romance and mystery novel, the characters come to life page by page. Every turn of the page is an exciting new adventure! Getting to solve the mystery of “Spring Fling’s Missing Offspring” with Winn & Stevie was excellent fun! Give it a read and enjoy the fun!

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audio Narration - 1⭐️
I am thankful to have gotten the audio ARC for free from Netgalley and Tandor Media so I can leave my voluntary and honest review.


This was a struggle to review properly. This book was first published in March of 2024 but the audiobook is being released on July 30th 2024 which is why it was available on NetGalley. From reading the past reviews which are glowing, I expect that I would like this much better in a different form because I had a really hard time sticking with it.

It took me days to finish as I had to keep stopping it to read other things. Why? Because I couldn’t stand the audio reader, Holly Jackson. The description gave no indication that this was a dramatic reading or anything other than a regular audio book but that’s not what you got. Ms. Jackson went way overboard on acting out the various characters which made it really hard to listen to and didn’t allow for a typical reading experience. On top of the drama, the voices used for many characters was downright annoying. Thankfully her natural voice was ok or I would have had to DNF the book which I do not do when it is an ARC.

I did reach out to both the publisher and the author to explain the situation and requested an egalley so I could review the content better but to date have not heard back. If I do get a copy of it and read it, I’ll amend my review.

I don’t recommend the audiobook version of this title at all. From other reviews and the description I think this book may be delightful and fun but while I listened to the whole thing, the bad narration colored my experience to much and left me not liking the book at all.

On a side note the cover art for the book doesn’t help to give it warm thoughts to start. You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but it does give the first impression which in this case I didn’t enjoy.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

[Marty Doskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am going to show you how oblivious I was. When I requested this audiobook from NetGalley, I just saw it was by Dakota Cassidy and narrated by Hollie Jackson. I didn't even pay attention to the title which should've been my first tipoff that this was related to the Witchless in Seattle series that I've been listening to. Another thing that didn't click was that the cover was a different style than the Witchless in Seattle series.

However, once I started listening, I found myself reintroduced to a story with Stevie, Win, Arkady, Belfry, and all of the supporting staff! What a wonderful surprise!

This book was a perfect start to a new series/continuation of a wonderful series. Dakota Cassidy reintroduced the characters in her usual expert manner without making it so obvious like other authors I've read.

If you haven't read the Witchless in Seattle series, you'll still be OK reading this one. But do yourself a favor and read the Witchless series. Many of the books are on the short side, but still quality works.

Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun husband and wife investigative duo with some paranormal assistance! Witty dialogue, creative plot and unique characters make this a fun read, but the narration really helps bring the story line to life. I would say this is a paranormal cozy mystery style read. While I thought I was reading the first in a series, it is actually a continuation of a series that started with the main female character, Stevie, and has built to this book as a newlywed couple. I enjoyed the story a lot, but I think starting with the first book in the original series would only enhance my enjoyment of this book as I would have known the characters better, but also granted me hours of entertainment. So now, I will be going back to enjoy all that reading fun as well while I wait for the next book in this series to become available in audio! Seriously, the narration really enhances the characters personalities and makes the book that much more fun!

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this transition of Stevie and Win into a new series. Even the beautiful cover art by Renee George signifies a change. Dakota Cassidy kept all the delightful characters and gave them a new direction and purpose.

The first book is packed with sleuthing action, murder, and mystery. A troublesome ghost and a human make an appearance and throw the couple for a loop by presenting a genuine problem.

I enjoyed that Stevie was not relegated to the backseat during the investigation just because Win has a body now. Win and Stevie empower each other to bring out the best of their skills.

As seen in Dakota Cassidy’s past series, Win and Stevie’s circle of family and friends grows by the end of the story. I look forward to Win and Stevie’s next case. This was a great beginning to a new series!

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first saw this book on NetGalley, I checked Goodreads to find out if this book was part of a series. Goodreads let me know that this was book 1 in a series and I was excited. Unfortunately, that excitement did not last once I started listening to this book. I did not realize that this was a spin off of a previous series written by Dakota Cassidy, I felt like I was missing a ton of background information the entire time I was listening to this story. If I had known this was a spin-off series of Witchless in Seattle, I probably would not have requested to read this book.

With that said, the mystery was good, and now that I have some clue of how these characters came to be together (although I am still confused by some of the characters), I would read the next book in this series.

Hollie Jackson did a good job narrating this book.

[Gina Dutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW: 4.5/5

A perfect mystery to cuddle up with a blanket & spend the day reading! Stevie & Win are a great dynamic duo for gathering clues, spying & solving the mysteries that fall in their laps. Cassidy has some of the funniest lines & thoughts pop from Stevie’s head that you cannot help but laugh. And of course she has woven in just the right amount of danger to keep the reader turning the pages until the end. I really enjoyed reading this book & found it a solid read!

[Julianne Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, I love reading books by Dakota Cassidy! Her books are good to read, standalone, or in a series, you can read this book and feel like you know exactly what’s going on even if you haven’t read the one before it. It’s always fun to get to know each character in her books. In this whirlwind romance and mystery novel, the characters come to life page by page. Every turn of the page is an exciting new adventure! Getting to solve the mystery of “Spring Fling’s Missing Offspring” with Winn & Stevie was excellent fun! Give it a read and enjoy the fun!

[Bridgett H. Faherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Dakota Cassidy's books and this one is no different. I could not put it down and had to finish it in one sitting. Stevie and Win are back from the honeymoon and immediately involved in an investigation. The transition into the new series is flawless and all the characters are still delightful.
Interesting addition of the niece and her scam artist mother. Look forward to next installment to see where things go.

[Alesandra: banter_or_bust · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn’t really my cup of tea. The story was fine overall, and I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook. There were so many details throughout the story that felt like there was an inside story I wasn’t privy to. This is the first book of a series. Unless its a spinoff and I just didn’t realize it, I don’t understand the presentation style of information the author chose.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, and Dakota Cassidy for a copy of this audiobook ARC.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This witchy romance was surprisingly fun and cute! I would love a prequel about how these two met and with more information about the supernatural in this world. I loved the vibes in this book and the idea of the supernatural being added to help solve the mystery in this book. This was a very fun read.

[Teresia Terlecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Win and Stevie!!

I have been rereading Witchless in Seattle in preparation for this book and it did not disappoint! The laughs and antics were high as Stevie and Win find themselves smack dab in the middle of mystery and danger again! Can't wait for the next one and audio version 😍😍

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun! We get to pick up a few months after the last witchless in Seattle (wedding edition!) and do Win & Stevie come back to the crazy! The very first day back, there is a line of people who need their help, including a woman claiming Win fathered her child! *Cue gasps* so many lies and problems come up while they get to the bottom of everything.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

More adventures await!!

Ah, it's so nice to slip back into the lives of characters I adore.

Stevie and Win are on honeymoon when we meet up with them.

Eating pasta, drinking wine. But soon they must return home, loved up.

But thing's deteriorate mighty fast when they get home, very fast.

I adore ALL of these characters ❤❤❤❤

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Win and Stevie are back!!

Bel and Arcady help solve the mystery after Stevie and Win come back home after their Italian honeymoon. I don’t want to give away too much of the book so I’ll just say I loved it. Can’t wait for the next adventure later this year!

[Beth Yadamec · Rating 5 out of 5]

another enjoyable cozy from Dakota Cassidy!

Such a thrill to catch up with Stevie and Win as they face their first case while married. Unknown family members, mumus, drug lords, and Twinkies make for a mist enjoyable read.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stevie, Win and the gang are back and still solving mysteries. This is a delightful continuation of the Stevie / Win saga. Marriage hasn’t slowed them a wit. An enjoyable start to a new arc. I really enjoyed this romp.

[Kimberly Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern day Hart to Hart

Nothing is out of reach for Win and Stevie when solving crimes. Along the way, they may pick up an extra or two to add to the family. Sleuthing has never been so good.

[Adrienne Whitson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stevie and Win embark on a new adventure as a married couple! A perfect cozy paranormal mystery!
A perfect start with a new story with old friends!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars:)

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun.

[stephanie huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and engaging